Buddhism, the Present Moment, and a Walk for Peace 

The only thing certain is the past, and that’s dead and gone. Maybe that’s why so many Buddhists emphasize living in the present moment, because it’s alive and free, even if uncertain. I’m not sure if the Buddha agreed, but he probably would have. Because in the original Buddhism there is a contract between Buddhist society and society at large that the sangha would ensure some level of goodness in this world if society would feed them and house them in turn. 

So, monks can essentially be children of Nature, while the householders can plant and f*ck and do all those other things that most people consider ordinary. And so now they bargain for a higher honor, as they walk for peace in multiple countries and on multiple fronts, begging for attention, not alms, but to make a point, not to rock this joint, that point being simply to live a mindful existence in whatever ways possible, and to be peaceful about it. And if the immediate ramifications for Buddhism are more for show than substance, the larger ramifications are palpable.  

Because, if Theravada Buddhism has long been moving toward an emphasis on Vipassana meditation and a decrease in dogma, now that is official. There should be no more quibbling over the minutiae of Abhidharma or debates over what exactly is reborn with rebirth. The point now is to have a happy day and spread the cheer around town. Now, if we can only get old-time Buddhists on the same page as the newcomers, many of whom are still trying to escape cyclical rebirths in samsara, then we will truly accomplish something.